Smart Reply for Google Inbox suggests replies to emails
Gmail might be Google's most well-known email service, but more recently the company has introduced Inbox. Now Inbox gains a new feature -- Smart Reply. The email tool is known for its automation features and Smart Reply aims to cut down the amount of time you have to spend replying to messages in Android and iOS.
Although not entirely automated. Smart Reply analyzes the content of the emails you receive and suggests a number of stock replies that you might like to send. While it is certainly not going to eliminate the need to type out emails entirely, the ability to respond to common types of email with a couple of clicks will prove a real time-saver.
Innerexile's new iPhone case self-heals in less than a second
Innerexile, the company that makes self-healing cases and screen protectors for various Apple products, has been busy designing a new self-healing iPhone case that will repair itself even more quickly than its predecessor. The model that it supersedes already performs quite well in this regard, so how can the new case top it?
Innerexile claims that its new iPhone case is able to self-heal from more severe scratches in less than a second, which is quite impressive. It is also advertised to be less slippery than its predecessor, which I found to be problematic in this regard. Does it live up to those claims?
Just because Apple CEO Tim Cook claims something doesn't make it true
The haughty headline from yesterday's Apple fiscal fourth quarter 2015 earnings report isn't big revenue or profit performance ($51.5 billion and $11.1 billion, respectively), but a figure given by CEO Tim Cook during the analyst call: "We recorded the highest rate on record for Android switches last quarter at 30 percent".
Blogs, and some news sites, set the statement off like an atomic blast of free marketing for Apple. The fallout spreads across the InterWebs this fine Wednesday, largely undisputed or corroborated. Just because Cook claims something doesn't make it true. To get some perspective, and to either correct or confirm the public record, today I asked a half-dozen analysts: "Does your analysis of the smartphone market support that assertion?"
30 percent of iPhone buyers are Android switchers
As expected, Apple has broken its Q4 iPhone sales record, moving 48.04 million smartphones last quarter. That is an improvement of 22.33 percent year-over-year, from the 39.27 million units sold in Q4 FY2014. The boost in revenue is even higher at 36.03 percent, rising to $32.2 billion from $23.67 billion a year prior.
Android users seem to have contributed a great deal to Apple's record quarter, as 30 percent of iPhone buyers last quarter were Android switchers, according to the company's CEO, Tim Cook.
Facebook wants to become your calendar and life-planning app
Android and iOS users are about to find that Facebook is much more useful. A new update that is rolling out across the US brings personalized notifications to the app that extend far beyond details of status updates and birthdays.
To help you keep on top of your schedule, Facebook now also displays information about friends' life events, reminders about TV shows, details about events you've joined, and sports scores. There are also a number of optional components that are tailored to where you are.
Apple might break its Q4 iPhone sales record
Apple may have broken its Q4 iPhone sales record, according to analyst estimates.
Forbes has aggregated all the predicted sales figures for the last quarter (Q4 FY2015) and found that the average estimate was 48.72 million, a 24 percent increase when compared to twelve months ago.
Apple hit with lawsuit over iOS 9's Wi-Fi Assist
The Wi-Fi Assist feature found in iOS 9 has caught some people unawares, and many have complained that they have been landed with large bills due to increased data usage. Two individuals have filed a class action lawsuit in California against Apple, alleging that the company failed to properly explain how Wi-Fi Assist works.
While Wi-Fi Assist can be disabled, the plaintiffs say that Apple should reimburse anyone who found they were pushed over their data usage limits. The company now needs to defend itself against charges of violating Unfair Competition Law, False Advertising Law, and negligent misrepresentation. Apple is also accused of downplaying the risk of exceeding data limits.
Anonymous browser Tor is coming to iOS 9 to boost privacy
The release of iOS 9 meant a lot of things to a lot a people. For Tor it means that the privacy-focused browser will finally be able to make its way to iPhones around the world. No particular timetable has been set out, but an iOS version of the anonymizing browser is on the cards.
In fact, it is more than just the Tor browser that's on the way -- "there are a bunch of pieces in the works", according to developer Nathan Freitas. Bringing Tor tools to iOS 9 will bring Apple's mobile devices in line with Android, and it's all thanks to new capabilities in the latest version of the operating system.
Facebook says bad app coding caused iOS battery drain, not location settings
Many iPhone users were upset to find that battery life was rather shorter than expected. Fingers of suspicion started to point to the iOS Facebook app, and now the social network has released a fix as well as revealing that poor coding was to blame.
The latest version of the Facebook app goes some way to putting things right, but it is unlikely to be a complete fix. Facebook says it "found a few key issues and have identified additional improvements" in the app, but only "some of which" made it into the latest update. Something the company is keen to stress is that the Location History feature is not responsible, and provides details about two other factors contributing to battery drain.
Mac and iOS users warned about Apple support scam
Windows users have long been the primary targets of all manner of security attacks, but now the tide is turning towards Mac users. In recent years there have been more viruses and malware attacks aimed at OS X, and security company Malwarebytes is now warning that Mac owners could fall victim to support scams. iPhones and iPads are also at risk.
It's a story that will be familiar to PC owners: fake technical support agents offer to remotely connect to a victim's computer to fix a (fake) problem, and then take control of the system and wreak unknown havoc. Apple does have its own, genuine remote support system accessible through ara.apple.com, but fraudulent pages with similar addresses are being used to trick people into installing remote access software.
Apple 'Live Photos' has a big privacy issue -- should iPhone 6s and 6s Plus users worry? [Update]
The iPhone 6s Plus is my first-ever Apple smartphone and I am loving every minute of it. While I was a bit nervous about leaving Android, my worry was for naught. Quite frankly, I am mad at myself for not switching sooner -- it is a wonderful experience.
One of the coolest features of the newest iPhones, besides 3D Touch, is Live Photos. If you aren't familiar, these are animated photos which complement the still. This works by appending 1.5 seconds of "video" to both the beginning and end of the picture. The user can then make the photo "move" by hard-pressing on the screen. While it is a wonderful thing on paper, I have discovered a rather big privacy issue in practice.
Apple hit with $234 million charge for patent infringement
A jury has ordered Apple to pay $234 million to the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation after an earlier ruling that the company had infringed patents. A few days ago it was found that Apple had used technology owned by WARF in iPhones and iPads chips.
The resulting charge is much lower than the $862 million that had previously been suggested; it is also less than the $400 million WARF had been seeking in damages. Apple intends to appeal against the verdict, but there is still another court case looming.
Facebook test drives new video-centric features
Facebook has become much more than just a social network; indeed, networking is fairly low down on the list of priorities for many users. The site is increasingly used for gaming, news gathering, and video consumption. Today Facebook announces a batch of new video features in recognition of the fact that videos are what people are looking for.
A small-scale test with iPhone users to try out a video suggestion feature is set to extend worldwide, ultimately spreading to the web and Android. Facebook is also borrowing some ideas from the likes of YouTube, including the ability to build up video playlists.
Official videos show how the Google app can help your daily life
Google is so ubiquitous that it has become much more than just a company. It is a verb, an ecosystem, a way of life. But just as with anything that you experience every day, it's easy to take it for granted or overlook what's under your nose.
With your Android smartphone in your hand (or an iPhone for that matter), the Google app is a portal to a wealth of information; all you need to do is speak to your phone. It's easy to forget just how helpful the app is -- but Google is here to remind you that it is more than capable of taking on Siri and Cortana. The company has released a trio of videos highlighting what the app can do for you. And you know what? They're actually pretty decent.
Windows apps on Android will soon be a reality
If you have an iPhone, you're stuck with running iOS apps; if you have an Android phone, you're stuck with Android apps. At least that used to be the case. For desktop platforms such as OS X and Linux, tools and emulators exist that make it possible to run software designed for a different platform. CodeWeavers produce CrossOver which enables PC games and applications to run on non-PC platforms.
At the moment, CrossOver is available for Mac and Linux, but there are plans to bring the tool to Android. This means that, ultimately, it should be possible to run Windows software on an Android phone or tablet.
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